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> Most Women Have Trouble Breastfeeding But Certain Factors Can Lead to Success

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Most Women Have Trouble Breastfeeding But Certain Factors Can Lead to Success

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by Joanne Van Zuidam on September 26, 2013

Joanne Van Zuidam

About the Author

Joanne
Van Zuidam writes about all things parenting — from getting your pre-baby body
back to getting the kids back to school. She strives to practice what she preaches
with her own daughter. Her work has appeared in <em>Better Homes and Gardens</em>,
<em>ShopSmart</em>, <em>First for Women</em>, and <em>Family Circle</em>.

About the Blog

WhatToExpect.com supports Word of Mom as a place to share stories and highlight the many perspectives and experiences of pregnancy and parenting. However, the opinions expressed in this section are those of individual writers and do not reflect the views of Heidi Murkoff of the What to Expect brand.

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Summary: Study pinpoints specific lactation problems in the first few days after giving birth that lead to the likelihood of a new mom giving up breastfeeding within a few months. That information may help first-time moms succeed.

While most women in the U.S. start out with the intention to breastfeed, a new study shows that those who report early concerns or difficulties are nearly 10 times more likely to stop nursing within two months.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends feeding breast milk to children for the first 12 months — exclusively for the first six.

The good news? The study also pinpointed the factors that led to success for many women. Among them, a strong social support network and knowledge of breastfeeding techniques and challenges before giving birth.

Researchers from the University of California Davis and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center found 92 percent of first-time moms reported at least one breastfeeding concern three days after birth. The top concerns included infant feeding, such as the baby not latching on properly (52 percent); breastfeeding pain (44 percent); and milk quantity (40 percent).

For their study, researchers conducted a series of six interviews with 532 first-time mothers, beginning in pregnancy and then again at three, seven, 14, 30, and 60 days after giving birth.

The reports detailed thousands of breastfeeding problems and concerns. Those concerns reported at days three and seven postpartum were strongly associated with subsequently stopping breastfeeding, said Dr. Nommsen-Rivers, scientist at Cincinnati Children's.

"This may be related to the fact that these interviews captured a time when there is often a gap between hospital and community lactation support resources," she says in a press statement.

"Our findings indicate helping mothers meet their breastfeeding goals requires a two-pronged approach: Strengthening protective factors, such as prenatal breastfeeding education and peer support, and ensuring that any concerns that do arise are fully addressed with professional lactation support, especially in those first few days at home."

She added that the remaining 8 percent of new moms who did not report any breastfeeding problems or concerns at day three seemed to have protective factors that prevented them from experiencing concerns that led to formula use. These factors include prenatal self-confidence about breastfeeding, youth, un-medicated vaginal birth, and strong social support.

The study authors conclude that offering more lactation support — especially in the first few days home with baby — could help improve success and duration of breastfeeding.

While it's reassuring to know that most every new mom experiences difficulties while breastfeeding, we have to do more to help new moms succeed at it.

If you, or someone you know, is a first-time mom bewildered by breastfeeding challenges, know that there are things you can do to increase your chances of success, from doing due diligence on breast feeding research before your due date to looking to friends and community for support and asking your health care provider to recommend a lactation coach. What's that saying? It takes a village. That definitely applies here.

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